The local church, the hope of the world.

Hello friends at RBC. I’m so glad for the chance to say hello via blog post…

I have been with World Orphans for almost 16 years. I am so honored that although the season my family spent at RBC was a brief few years, that you all have remained committed to my ministry and to our family.

By way of a quick reminder… The vision of World Orphans is to empower the church to care for orphans and vulnerable families. Our mission is to equip, inspire, and mobilize the church to care for orphans and vulnerable children. We desire to see churches engaged, children restored and communities transformed by the gospel of Christ. And we aim to do that through local churches both here in the US and around the world by partnering churches together.

You can read more about our model HERE and I’ll share a few encouraging and challenging quotes from trip participants who have recently returned from visiting their church partners.

A woman from Michigan said this after visiting her partner in Nicaragua: I am bringing home a mindset of “going to” others rather than asking them to come to me. I want to be able to bless many people, but I don’t often initiate interactions or seek others out. I saw the church in Nicaragua doing that so well, and it inspired me to do better in my own personal ministry.

And of a recent trip to Guatemala, team members said: “The local church has a massive impact on vulnerable families through the love and respect it shows to them. We were able to see that play out in how families respond to being cared for by the church.” And “I learned that when the church cares and uses its people from within to connect with those in the community, church members gain trust and then the church can not only help empower families, but bring them to Christ.”

Jesus said that upon the rock of Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living God, that He would build His church and the gates of Hell would not prevail. (Matthew 16:18)

RBC, you are the church! You are God’s chosen means to reflect His love and the truth and hope of the Gospel to those around you. I am grateful for your heart for what God is doing around the world and for what He is doing in Rutherford and Bergen county. May you be encouraged by the truth that you are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses! And know that my family in Tennessee sends our love and greetings and our prayers are with you.

Gratefully,

Kate

PS - if you want to read some more of my specific thoughts, you can read THIS article I wrote from our last magazine!